Shock greeted a recent revelation that China has signed a security deal with the Solomon Islands, with the opposition Labor party accusing Prime Minister Scott Morrison of dropping the ball on Australia’s leadership in the Pacific.Ĭlimate change poses an existential threat to the island nations of the Pacific, with low-lying countries like Tuvalu already disappearing due to rising sea-levels, and an increase in cyclones and extreme weather also battering larger nations like Fiji. Meanwhile an independent candidate has said they will provide investment to boost wind, hydro, and solar power.Įlsewhere on a visit to Newcastle, Morrison pledged €33 million investment to help create jobs and develop world-leading technology in solar, hydrogen, storage and green metals.Ī cyclone hits Fiji: Extreme weather is set to be a big problem for the Pacific islands Brett Phibbs/AP Labor is focused on establishing a hotbed of hydrogen industry in the area while the Liberal party have highlighted a €1.3 billion spending commitment to renewable energy. In Monash, an agricultural area east of Melbourne, candidates are vying to put forward plans to both slash emissions and stimulate the regional economy. However, as President Biden was keen to point out to the American public in 2020, the green transition can mean jobs, jobs, jobs! A sentiment Australian politicians have taken forward as they try to woo swing voters. Solar power could be a key stone in fighting climate change in Australia American Public Power AssociationĪ shift to netzero means a shift away from power stations and coal, difficult given Australia’s reliance on the dirtiest fossil fuel for 70 per cent of its electricity as well as exports. The Greens are unsurprisingly pushing the envelope further and promising a 75% cut in emissions by the end of the decade, with the Teal Independents goal set as 50 - 60%. Labor claims this will be consistent with 1.6C - 1.7C increases in temperatures as set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Meanwhile the Labor party is aiming for a 43 per cent cut in the same time frame, contrasting themselves with Morrison’s coalition in taking climate change more seriously. He has also drawn ire for the goal of only a 26 - 27 per cent cut by 2030, which would equal half that of the UK and US commitments. It was only shortly before the major climate conference that Morrison finally announced a commitment to netzero by 2050. Morrison came under considerable international pressure for his perceived lack of enthusiasm for COP26 in Glasgow last year. Prime Minister Scott Morisson has set targets to meet netzero that have been met with derision in some quarters AP Photo/Mick Tsikas
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